MS 690
Terrill, Thomas M.
Papers, 1871-1994, n.d.

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140


Descriptive summary

creator:

Terrill, Thomas M. (1850-1912)

title:

Papers

dates:

1871-1994, n.d.

extent:

3.15 linear ft.  (7 document boxes and 1 half-document box)

collection number:

MS 690

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Thomas M. Terrill Papers, MS 690, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note
 

Thomas Milton Terrill was born in Ohio County, Virginia, on May 18, 1850, the son of Daniel and Tabitha Hemphill Terrill.  In 1853 the family moved to Cedar County, Iowa, where they started a farming operation on land purchased by Tabitha's grandfather Hemphill.  Thomas's father passed away that same year and Thomas and his brothers were left orphans when their mother died in 1861.  At the age of eleven, Thomas was a ward of the county and "bound out" to the John Blaylock family, which subsequently moved to Keokuk County, Iowa.

At the age of twenty-one, Thomas started recording in his diaries and continued to do so for the next forty-two years.  He moved to Grand Junction in Greene County, Iowa, and while looking for land started working for James Thompson.  Thomas eventually acquired land from Mr. Thompson in Washington township (Greene County, Iowa).

Thomas married Lydia Maria Hill on November 6, 1879.  Thomas met Lydia through his friendship with the Thompson family.  Together they had seven children who survived to adulthood: Katharine May, Otis Wallace, Geneva Isabelle, William Daniel, Clinton Albert, Thomas Emery, and Enolia Hemphill.  They also had one daughter who only survived for three days past birth.

Farming occupied most of Thomas's attention, and much of the diaries is devoted to recording daily activities on the farm.  In his later years, Thomas managed to travel, and these trips are also recorded in the diaries.  On September 22, 1912, he passed away while visiting one of his daughters in Spokane, Washington.

Though Thomas never had the opportunity to attend college, he would be proud to know that many of his descendants took advantage of furthering their education including 20 (as of 2007) who have graduated from Iowa State University.

 

Collection description
 

This collection (1871-1994, n.d.) contains the diaries of Thomas M. Terrill and related papers.  The diaries span the years 1871 through 1912, lacking only the diary for 1883, and record Thomas's daily activities on his farm with occasional entries documenting family life.  Published transcripts of the diaries completed by granddaughter Lois Terrill Mueller are included in the collection as is genealogical information on the Terrill family compiled by Audrey MacLellan, another granddaughter.  The family genealogy is presented in the manuscript "Thomas Terrill of Iowa, 1850-1912; Some Ancestors and His Descendants."  There are also several miscellaneous diaries with notes by Thomas, including one that has diary entries copied from his brother Daniel's diary from the years 1865-1869.  Two pocket bibles acquired by Thomas are also included in the collection.

 

Organization

The collection is organized alphabetically.

 

 Container list

Box Folder Title Dates
1 1 Diary 1871
1 2 Diary 1872
1 3 Diary 1873
1 4 Diary 1874
1 5 Diary 1875
1 6 Diary 1876
1 7 Diary 1877
1 8 Diary 1878
1 9 Diary 1879
2 1 Diary 1880
2 2 Diary 1881
2 3 Diary 1882
2 4 Diary 1884
2 5 Diary 1885
2 6 Diary 1886
2 7 Diary 1887
2 8 Diary 1888
3 1 Diary 1898
3 2 Diary 1890
3 3 Diary 1891
3 4 Diary 1892
3 5 Diary 1893
3 6 Diary 1894
3 7 Diary 1895
4 1 Diary 1896
4 2 Diary 1897
4 3 Diary 1898
4 4 Diary 1899
4 5 Diary 1900
4 6 Diary 1901
4 7 Diary 1902
5 1 Diary 1903
5 2 Diary 1904
5 3 Diary 1904-1906
5 4 Diary 1905
5 5 Diary 1906
5 6 Diary 1907
5 7 Diary 1908
5 8 Diary 1909
6 1 Diary 1910
6 2 Diary 1911
6 3 Diary 1912
6 4 Diary entries copied from "Brother Dan's diary," 1865-1869; also includes entries from a 1912 trip 1901-1912, n.d.
6 5 Diary transcripts, 1871-1874 1981-1982
6 6 Diary transcripts, 1875-1878 1982
6 7 Diary transcripts, 1879-1882 1981, 1983
7 1 Diary transcripts, 1884-1888 1983
7 2 Diary transcripts, 1889-1893 1983-1984
7 3 Diary transcripts, 1894-1898 1984
7 4 Diary transcripts, 1899-1903 1984-1987
7 5 Diary transcripts, 1904-1907 1985
7 6 Diary transcripts, 1908-1911 1985
7 7 Diary transcripts, 1912 1985
8 1 Diary with notes on word etymologies ca. 1897
8 2 Family genealogy: "Thomas Terrill of Iowa, 1850-1912; Some Ancestors and His Descendants," by Audrey Terrill MacLellan 1994
8 3 New Testament 1897
8 4 New Testament, presented to Terrill by John Blaylock on May 18, 1868 n.d.

 

Descriptive summary   |  Administrative information  |  Biographical/Historical note
Collection description  |  Organization  |  Description of series/container list


Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: archives@iastate.edu
URL: http://findingaids.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS690.html